Poor Town: A statistic that became a series of stories

In journalism, sometimes a single fact turns into a series of stories.

In the case of Poor Town, it was a statistic: The number of people living in poverty increased from 29,152 in 2000 to 60,544 in 2010 in Winnebago and Boone counties.

A doubling of people living in poverty is like starting with a city the with the combined populations of Belvidere and Cherry Valley, and doubling it.

Beneath the statistics are where the people affected by a huge economic shift exist.

We did the Poor Town stories to examine how the impact of that shift. Below you'll find stories about people worried how they'll pay their next bills as well as stories about people with dreams that will allow them to rise above their economic circumstances.

Feb. 10Life on poverty's borders in the Rock River Valley

March 17'The wrong side' of Rockford used to be all rightFor this couple, living in District 11 is a calling

May 19Many Rock River Valley seniors living on the edgeRockford senior calls jar of pennies her 'life savings'By the time Machesney Park couple pays bills there's 'nothing left'

Oct. 13For single moms, no easy path out of poverty'I wouldn't say I had a childhood. I grew up too fast.''It's not Teen Mom or 16 and Pregnant. That's not real life.'